- Funding will accelerate expansion, strengthen regional creator network, advance AI-enabled content
- Mantayay represents the strength and ingenuity of Malaysia’s new digital generation
Mantayay Global Holdings Pte Ltd, a Singapore incorporated Malaysian-based creator‑economy and digital media company, has received a US$5 million investment led by Kairous Capital via its Kairous Asia Venture Fund II (SEA), representing Mantayay’s first institutional funding round. The funding will accelerate its regional expansion, strengthen the regional creator network, advance AI-enabled content and commerce infrastructure across key markets.
Founded in 2023 as Mantayay Sdn Bhd, it has grown to serve global clients in gaming, FMCG, and technology across Southeast Asia with audited revenue of US$462,000 (RM1.94 million) in 2023 and US$1.88 million (RM7.91 million) revenue in 2024.
The company said it manages over 4,000 TikTok creators, produces more than 1,000 short-form videos each month, and generates over 100 million monthly views across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Mantayay claims its flagship IP, Terpaling Menantu, has become Malaysia’s most-watched short-form drama franchise with over 300 million cumulative views across platforms.
Building on the rising interest in Southeast Asia, Mantayay intends to establish offices in China, Japan, and South Korea to support Northeast Asian companies expanding into the region. According to industry data, the Southeast Asian creator economy is projected to surpass US$1.4 billion by 2030.
“Kairous is backing Mantayay’s conviction at the nexus of content, creators, and commerce (3Cs),” said Joseph Lee Moh Hon, Managing Partner at Kairous Capital. “Having observed powerful structural tailwinds within the media industry globally such as short dramas, content‑commerce, and creator‑led IP, that we believe are now taking shape in Southeast Asia, we believe Mantayay is uniquely positioned to ride and benefit from this wave. The Mantayay team stands out for their exceptional ability to balance between visionary effort and business fundamentals, as they have been profitable in their pursuit to elevate the digital content infrastructure in Southeast Asia. They represent the strength and ingenuity of Malaysia’s new digital generation. Together, we aim to build the foundation for how content, creators, and commerce will connect in the decade ahead.”
“Mantayay is focused on building industry leadership in short‑form storytelling and content‑commerce,” said Ng YuBin, CEO and co-founder of Mantayay. “This investment will accelerate our regional expansion, add breadth and depth to our creator ecosystem, and further enhance our data‑driven operations to deliver strong measurable outcomes for partners.”
